Retro Stand-up Arcade Machine
Discussion
We have just about finished our garden room/office/gym, etc so it perfect time to fill it up with stuff 
I have always quite like the idea of a stand-up retro style arcade machine. There seems to be a massive variety out there and prices differ massively. Any recommendations on what to look out for, what to avoid. I see some sellers are open about selling copyrighted material and others more risk adverse.
Any pointers would be good.
Thanks
I have always quite like the idea of a stand-up retro style arcade machine. There seems to be a massive variety out there and prices differ massively. Any recommendations on what to look out for, what to avoid. I see some sellers are open about selling copyrighted material and others more risk adverse.
Any pointers would be good.
Thanks
I'd look for a Mame type inners in an original cabinet. They are on ebay from £200. The condition of the cabinet reflects the price as the PC hardware and monitor is cheap as. Using original game ROMS gives the original game but there may be legal copyright issues and you will still have to put a coin in or press a switch to simulate this. Somewhere I have a DVD bought from ebay for £20.. with over 1000 ROMS on it. They are still out there.
I bought from these guys:
https://www.homeleisuredirect.com/arcade_machines/...
They have an awesome shop but even if you're not local they ship. I ended up with one of these:
https://www.homeleisuredirect.com/arcade_machines/...
had an old TV lying about (the older the better really!) and set it up in a desk that the kids didn't use. Low-fi option.
It comes with a few thousand games, most I've never heard of (JDM I suspect) but pretty much every game I ever played in the 80s is there, off the top of my head, Ghost and Goblins, 1942, Double dragon, Gauntlet 1 and 2, Rolling Thunder, Commando, Operation Wolf.....the ebsite has the fill games list of the different versions of ROMs they offer.
https://www.homeleisuredirect.com/arcade_machines/...
They have an awesome shop but even if you're not local they ship. I ended up with one of these:
https://www.homeleisuredirect.com/arcade_machines/...
had an old TV lying about (the older the better really!) and set it up in a desk that the kids didn't use. Low-fi option.
It comes with a few thousand games, most I've never heard of (JDM I suspect) but pretty much every game I ever played in the 80s is there, off the top of my head, Ghost and Goblins, 1942, Double dragon, Gauntlet 1 and 2, Rolling Thunder, Commando, Operation Wolf.....the ebsite has the fill games list of the different versions of ROMs they offer.
Edited by TimmyMallett on Thursday 16th September 15:38
Thing is with an arcade machine, no matter how many ROMS there are you'll have a play for 15 minutes, realise all the old games are rubbish, and never touch it again. So it's just a nice piece of furniture at the end of the day.
For my money, and what would be much cooler, would something like a vintage Wurlitzer cabinet converted to Spotify. In fact I'm shocked that my quick google doesn't throw up a hundred different implementations so there's a project for you if you're feeling creative!
For my money, and what would be much cooler, would something like a vintage Wurlitzer cabinet converted to Spotify. In fact I'm shocked that my quick google doesn't throw up a hundred different implementations so there's a project for you if you're feeling creative!
deckster said:
Thing is with an arcade machine, no matter how many ROMS there are you'll have a play for 15 minutes, realise all the old games are rubbish, and never touch it again. So it's just a nice piece of furniture at the end of the day.
You’re not wrong. Great for a party where everyone has a quick go. I don’t spend hours at the thing playing stuff. A lot of dross looked at though rose tints. Some of the multiplayer stuff is still great and classics are still classic.
Ghosts and goblins is _still_ b
d hard. TimmyMallett said:
Yes yes yes! Purchasing! deckster said:
Thing is with an arcade machine, no matter how many ROMS there are you'll have a play for 15 minutes, realise all the old games are rubbish, and never touch it again. So it's just a nice piece of furniture at the end of the day.
For my money, and what would be much cooler, would something like a vintage Wurlitzer cabinet converted to Spotify. In fact I'm shocked that my quick google doesn't throw up a hundred different implementations so there's a project for you if you're feeling creative!
I play with my kids fairly regularly. We're all different.For my money, and what would be much cooler, would something like a vintage Wurlitzer cabinet converted to Spotify. In fact I'm shocked that my quick google doesn't throw up a hundred different implementations so there's a project for you if you're feeling creative!
The really key difference though is that you effectively have infinite lives, and save points. Which missed the point of your valuable 10p pieces back in the day. It does allow you to wallow in the glory when you beat the end game boss though that you may never have actually seen apart from over the shoulders of others on a Saturday afternoon in the arcade you frequented
Edited by TimmyMallett on Friday 17th September 11:25
AB said:
TimmyMallett said:
Yes yes yes! Purchasing! deckster said:
Thing is with an arcade machine, no matter how many ROMS there are you'll have a play for 15 minutes, realise all the old games are rubbish, and never touch it again. So it's just a nice piece of furniture at the end of the day.
For my money, and what would be much cooler, would something like a vintage Wurlitzer cabinet converted to Spotify. In fact I'm shocked that my quick google doesn't throw up a hundred different implementations so there's a project for you if you're feeling creative!
Funny you should say that, we built our own games cabinet but also had it set up as a jukebox.For my money, and what would be much cooler, would something like a vintage Wurlitzer cabinet converted to Spotify. In fact I'm shocked that my quick google doesn't throw up a hundred different implementations so there's a project for you if you're feeling creative!
I bought an Arcade1up machine. There are quite a few to choose from (and rather a lot to choose from if you happened to live in the USA, we only get a cut down list in uk).
They only have a couple of games on, but there are loads of YouTube videos on modifying them to have a full classic arcade selection.
I've not done that as I'm quite happy with my Ninja Turtles game.
These are I think 2/3 the size of a real machine, which makes them big enough to play and enjoy but not so big to dominate a home room, a-la true arcade machines.
Smyth's toy shop sell Arcade1up machines.
They only have a couple of games on, but there are loads of YouTube videos on modifying them to have a full classic arcade selection.
I've not done that as I'm quite happy with my Ninja Turtles game.
These are I think 2/3 the size of a real machine, which makes them big enough to play and enjoy but not so big to dominate a home room, a-la true arcade machines.
Smyth's toy shop sell Arcade1up machines.
blueg33 said:
Bugger - I am now contemplating spending £7k on a pinball machine
Don't consider, do 
I bought one (Addams Family) 15yrs ago to relive Uni days. It gets played a lot, and my kids (9 and 6) are starting to get into it too.
I should have bought a dozen of them looking at prices now!
(Also wanted a 2 seat Sega Rally - the guy who delivered my pinball machine was delivering one of those too. Bottled it in the end.)
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